Integral medicament dispenser



1954 J. L. JONES 2,691,981

INTEGRAL MEDICAMENT DISPENSER Filed Feb. 19, 1952 7 5 5 g g g g I I! II 1! II II II II II I4 INV NTOR.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Included in the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a one-piece vaginal applicator economical to manufacture, utilizing relatively inexpensive material, so that it may be disposable after a single use.

Second, to provide a one-piece single use vaginal applicator which is suited to filling at a central plant under hygienic conditions, then sealed and stored until ready for use.

Third, to provide a one-piece, single use vaginal applicator which is suited to storage of a viscous substantially water-base type medicament for long periods of time without substantial loss of water or alcohol.

Fourth, to provide a one-piece, single use vaginal applicator which can be formed in a single operation on a high speed automatic plastic molding machine.

Fifth, to provide a one-piece, single use vaginal applicator of relatively thinwall construction, thus being relatively low in raw material cost.

With the above and other objects in view, as may be hereinafter referred to, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of my vaginal applicator;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of my one-piece vaginal applicator with the parts in the position assumed when the capped applicator is loaded with a medicament;

Figure 3 is another enlarged longitudinal sectional view of my one-piece, vaginal applicator in which the parts are positioned approximately as they are during manufacture;

Figure 4 is another enlarged transverse sectional view through 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure I, a relatively rigid tubular member I of substantially uniform cross. section is capped by a removable closure 2 at the discharge end and an integrally attached discharge rod means 3 extends from the opposite end of the rigid tubular member I.

The construction of the one-piece, single use vaginal applicator is further explained by reference to Figure 2 which is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of Figure 1 through line 2-2. The relatively rigid tubular member I of substantially uniform cross section is capped by the removable closure 2 at the discharge end of the thin walled crushable container 4. To the closed end of the thin walled crushable container 4 is integrally attached a discharge rod means 3 which'extends from the loaded and capped applicator a distance from the end opposite the dis- Claims. (Cl. 128-261) charge end sufficient to provide a handle of length necessary to crush the container l and discharge its contents.

Referring to FigureZ, the closure 2 is removed from the loaded dispenser. The tubular member I is squeezed at the end opposite the discharge end between the thumb and forefinger, collapsing the thinwall tubular member and engaging the rod means 3 between the opposite faces of the tubular member I. The rod means 3 reinforces the thin-wall tubular member and permits sufficient force to be applied endwise to the applicator structure to insert the applicator to the desired depth in a body cavity. The medicament 5 is then discharged by telescopically sliding in the rod 3 with the finger to crush the container 4, discharging its contents 5. The container 4' can be crushed by a direct forward motion of rod 3. A twisting forward motion of rod 3 will also crush the container 4.

Referring to Figure 3, an additional species modification of my improvement is shown. The relatively rigid tubular member 6 is integrally, homogeneously attached to the thin wall crushable container 1 and the discharge rod means 8 is homogeneously attached to the closed end of the container i, all parts are shown in the relative positions as they can occur during manufacture. Longitudinal reinforcing ribs 0 are incorporated in the applicator which are also homogeneously attached to tubular member 6, to further strengthen the structure against end thrusts. Figure 4 which is an enlarged transverse View through 4-4 of Figure 3 and illustrates in a transverse view the tubular member 6, the longitudinal ribbing 9 and the rod discharge means 8.

Typically the tubular member I is about 0.01 inch wall thickness, the crushable container 4 about 0.006 inch wall thickness and the discharge rod means 3 about 0.15 inch diameter.

Since water alone, or in combination with alcohol, is used as a base of medicinal compositions, it is desirable to select an elasto-meric material capable of containing the volatile solvents, water, and/or alcohol, without substantial loss over long periods of time of storage on the shelf in warehouses and stores. The elastomeric materials listed below include compositions suitable for containing various types of solvents, such as water and alcohol.

Examples of fluid resistant elastomeric materials which may be used to form the vaginal applicator are polyethylene, vinyl chloridevinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl 'plastisols, polybutyl methacrylate, polytrifiuoromonochloroethylene, neoprene rubber, synthetic rubbers, natural rubber, polyethylene-polyisobutylene compositions, polyvinylidene chloride, nylon and other thermoplastic polymeric compositions of matter which are resistant tothe penetration of the fluid placed in the crushable container.

The dimensions of the applicator are proportioned for entry into the desired body cavity to the desired depth before discharging the contents of the hollow crushable container. The length of the handle, rod or linear member protruding from the end of the tubular member opposite the discharge end is suiiciently long to provide a means for discharging the contents of the applicator when the applicator is inserted to the re quired depth in the vagina.

Multiple units of the medicinal dispenser can be made in a single operation by molding on a high speed injection molding machine. The

conomical method of manufacture provides a low cost product suitable for wide usage. The closure and applicator can be prepared in a single machine. As an alternate method, the applicator can be manufactured by dipping a suitable mold in a polyvinyl copolymer organosol to produce a structure which on heating is converted to a onepiece, homogeneous product of the proper thickness.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts hereby described and shown.

I claim:

1. In a single use disposable medicament dis penser: an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of a solvent mpervious elastomeric material, consisting of a tubular member having a discharge end, an axially crushable hollow container closed at cne end and having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured in said tubular member with its discharge end adjacent the discharge end of said tubular member, and a plunger homogeneously permanently secured to the closed end of said container and slidable in said tubular member to crush said container.

2. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser, in combination: a removable closure; and an integral one piece vaginal applicator formed of a solvent impervious elastomeric material, consisting of a tubular member having a discharge end, an axially crushable hollow container closed at one end and having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured in said tubular member with its discharge end adjacent the discharge end of said tubular member, and a plunger homogeneously permanently secured to the closed end of said container and slidable in said tubular member to crush said container.

3. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser: an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of a water-impervious elastomeric Inaterial, consisting of a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter, a orushable hollow container located therein and homogeneously permanently coterininous with one end thereof, the end or the container opposite the coterminous junction being blankly closed and homogeneously permanently united to a linear member, said linear member protruding from the rigid open ended tubular member opposite the coterrninous junction.

l. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser, in combination: a removable closure; and

an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of a water-impervious elastomeric material, consisting of a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter, a crushable hollow container located therein and homogeneously permanently coterminous with one end thereof, the end of the container opposite the coterminous junction being blankly closed and homogeneously permanently united to a linear member, said linear member protruding from the rigid open ended tubular member opposite the coterminous junction.

5. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser: an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of a water-impervious elastomeric ma terial, consisting of a rigid tubular member having a discharge end, a crushable thin wall hollow container within said tubular member having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured to the discharge end of said tubular memher, the end of the container opposite the discharge end blankly closed and homogeneously permanently united to a rod, said rod protruding from the rigid tubular member, and said rod slidable in said rigid tubular member to crush said container.

6. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser, in combination: a removable closure; and an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed or" a waterimpervious elastomeric material, consisting of a rigid tubular member having a discharge end, a crushable thin wall hollow container within said tubular member having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured to the discharge end of said tubular member, the end of the container opposite the discharge end blankly closed and homogeneously permanently united to a rod, said rod protruding from the rigid tubularmember, and said rod slidable in said rigid tubular member to crush said container.

'1. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser: an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of elastomeric material, consisting ofa rigid tubular member having a discharge end, a crushable hollow container within said tubular member having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured to the discharge endof said tubular member, the end of the container opposite the discharge end blankly closed and homogeneously permanently united to a linear member, said linear member extending from the rigid tubular member, and said linear member operatively associated with the crushable container to discharge its contents.

3. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser: an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of homogeneous elastcmeric material, consisting of a tubular member having a discharge end, a crushable thin wall hollow container closed at one end and having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured in said tubular member with its discharge end adjacent the discharge end of said tubular member, and a linear element homogeneously permanently united to the closed end of the hollow container, said linear element protruding from the open end of the tubular member opposite the discharge end to provide a handle end engageable with said hollow container to crush same and discharge container contents.

9. In a single use disposable medicament dis penser, in combination: a removable closure; and an integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of homogeneous elastomeric material, consisting of a tubular member having a discharge end, a crushable thin wall hollow container closed at one end and having a discharge end homogeneously permanently secured in said tubular member with its discharge end adjacent the discharge end of said tubular member, and a linear element homogeneously permanently united to the closed end of the hollow container, said linear element protruding from the open end of the tubular member opposite the discharge end to provide a handle end engageable with said hollow container to crush same and discharge container contents.

10. In a single use disposable medicament dispenser: a homogeneously integral one-piece vaginal applicator formed of a water-impervious elastomeric material, comprising a rigid tubular member, a crushable container, closed at one end, concentrically located within said tubular member, the open end of the container being permanently attached coterminously to one end of the tubular member to form a discharge opening, and a linear discharge member permanently secured to the closed end of the container, said discharge member extending from the end of the tubular member opposite the discharge opening to provide a handle, whereby the contents of the container can be discharged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 70,600 Moyer Nov. 5, 1867 805,851 Goldfarb s Nov. 28, 1905 2,105,710 Wadel Jan. 18, 1938 2,470,089 Booth May 17, 1949 2,473,723 Nelson June 21, 1949 2,546,754 Jones Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 540,241 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1941 

